Broadway west of Pilgrim Pathway, Sept 2014. Paul Weinstein photo, special to Blogfinger
To the Editor:
Blogfinger, the entire South End received damage from Hurricane Sandy, not just the Southeast. Starting from Broadway @ Ocean Ave, all the way down 2 blocks past the Inskip tennis courts. That’s pretty much the entire South End.
What is disturbing to me is despite the damage, the OGCMA and the Township has done very little to protect the South End from future storms. During the cleanup it was brought to light that there is NO BULKHEAD on the southern end of the OG boardwalk; Bulkheads existed, and were repaired, on the North and Central sections.
Yes the South end is at a slightly lower elevation than the rest of the town, but it is not a significant difference. OGCMA fundraising was directed to key tourist attractions, the Auditorium, Thornley chapel, and the boardwalk.
Providing the South End with a bulkhead is costly, but zero efforts have been made to fundraise or apply for grants towards achieving that. The South End comprises 1/3 of our town; why are we were left vulnerable and treated like a red-headed stepkid?
OHGEE
Ocean Grove, NJ, October 30, 2015
The writer lives on the south side of Ocean Grove
Editor’s Note: OhGee: You can check with Bill Bailey on this point (just call him at the CMA offices,) but I believe that there was an old metal bulkhead which protected the south boardwalk. I know that the metal bulkhead stretched north, but was not protective in the middle because it was situated to the west of the destroyed middle beach boardwalk.
Blogfinger link: metal bulkhead link
Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.
Addendum October 30, 2015. Bill Bailey, Chief Operating Officer of the OGCMA has submitted the following:
“Dr., Just a note in reference to the letter to the editor in your blog today. After the 92 nor’easter a bulkhead was constructed at the south end of the boardwalk, approximately from the Bradley Beach border to Embury Avenue or just shy of the beach office. This bulkhead was engineered and in some cases integrated with the original metal bulkhead that had been in place. The new bulkhead constructed after Sandy (to the north) is similar to the south end one from 93. During Hurricane Sandy Ocean surges came up and over the bulkhead / boardwalk but the bulkhead remained intact as did the boardwalk. I have attached photo’s taken today of the existing south end bulkhead constructed in 1993 after the 1992 storm. Respectfully, Bill Bailey ”
OG South End bulkhead Bulkhead constructed in 1993. Oct. 30, 2015 photo by Bill Bailey.
Closeup of South end bulkhead. Oct. 30, 2015 by Bill Bailey.
I thought the same about the south end bulkhead as Paul Goldfinger stated in his Blogfinger editorial. After much fact checking and going down to look at the current bulkhead with an engineer, I agree with Bill Bailey’s statement.
The bulkhead was replaced in 1993 after the storm of 1992 and this current bulkhead was probably one of the biggest factors in saving the south end boardwalk. Even though the south end area received substantial damage from Sandy, it was not related to the the existing bulkhead. There were many different factors involved in this damage)
Some preventative steps have been taken by the OGCMA by creating temporary berms to help with the winter storms and erosion until we can get the Dune Project completed at the south end.
The south end residents are looking forward to working with the OGCMA in planting dune grass once the dunes are ready to be planted. (dune creation and stabilization)